Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an imaging technique used in radiology to form images of the anatomy and the physiological processes of an object (e.g., a patient, or a section thereof). MRI scanners use strong magnetic fields, radio waves, and field gradients to generate images of the inner structure of the object based on the science of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). More particularly, certain atomic nuclei (e.g., hydrogen-1, carbon-13, oxygen-17, etc.) absorb and emit RF energy when placed in an external magnetic field. The emitted RF energy exists as RF signals and is received by the MRI scanners.
Hydrogen atoms are often used to generate a detectable RF signal that is received by an antenna of a coil in close proximity to the object being examined. Conventionally, the antenna includes capacitance, conductance, and/or resistance that provide the antenna a specific resonant frequency. When the frequency of the RF signal emitted from the object matches the resonant frequency of the antenna, the antenna resonates and receives the RF signal. Hence, the antenna has to be designed carefully so that the resonant frequency exactly matches the frequency of the RF signal emitted from the object. However, the antenna is usually deformed (bent) in use and the resonant frequency changes. When the resonant frequency no longer matches the frequency of the RF signal emitted from the object, the coil does not work as well as before and the RF signal is received at a lower quality (e.g., with a lower signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)). Therefore, it is desired to develop a coil that is able to receive the RF signal even when it is deformed.